Rev. Canon Ann Easter has compared marriage and civil partnerships to the difference between chocolate and lemon cake.
Ms Easter, who was the first Chaplain to HM the Queen to come from Newham, made the comments in response to MPs voting to approve same sex marriage.
Ms Easter, who is also chief executive of the Renewal Programme in Forest Gate, said: “My feeling is that marriage is specifically between a man and a woman. But I want civil partnerships to be exactly equivalent and carry all the rights and responsibilities of a marriage, and should be allowed in a church.
“Perhaps a nicer word than civil partnership needs to be found but marriage should always be between a man and a woman. Just like chocolate cake and lemon cake it is not the same thing.”
MPs this week voted in favour of the bill which will now be debated in the House of Lords.
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